Junior Achievement Programme an irreplaceable catalyst to business...says Deputy PM Condor

By VonDez Phipps
Reporter-SKNVibes.com

Hon. Sam Condor

Minister Condor was at the time delivering the feature address at the JA Awards Ceremony held at the Sir Cecil Jacobs Auditorium, Eastern Caribbean Central Bank Headquarters on Wednesday, October 29.

The Minister deemed it encouraging to see youths taking advantage of the opportunities and initiatives that allow them to express their creativity as future leaders. He affirmed that it is through such initiatives of “brilliant and hard-working learners” that the aspirations of the nation’s people and of the country as a whole would be realised.

Condor explicitly stated that the Education Ministry fully associates itself with and at the same time strongly supports the JA’s mission of educating and inspiring young people to value-free enterprise and economics in an effort to improve their own lives as well as, in the long-term, the lives of others.

“It is fair to say that some of our future employers may very well come from this and other pools of JA innovators. I urge you to continuously endeavour to expand the programme and to support and strengthen current efforts that would foster an entrepreneurial culture. We are convinced of the importance of encouraging an entrepreneurial mindset among our student population at an early age, and we believe that this programme can assist greatly in arming them with effective strategies to pursue business ideas and develop new economic activity.  ~~Adz:Right~~

“This Federation has no shortage of bright young minds. This has manifested itself in the excellent results we have been obtaining in overseas exams. Government and my ministry in particular are therefore fully committed to the business community’s effort in this endeavour. I aim to ensure that this critical link between my ministry and the Chamber be further explored in an effort to secure the involvement of more business firms, as we embark on innovative ventures to stimulate our students’ awareness of entrepreneurial skills as a viable option for their future.”

Minister Condor informed that his ministry pledged to actively continue in the development of plans and policies to provide support to young people in the quest for further development. He further informed that the government is currently pursuing ways in which entrepreneurship could be introduced into the schools’ curriculum at all levels of formal education, starting at the primary level.

He stressed that all must work “steadfastly, conscientiously and diligently to produce learners with the required skill-mix to secure readiness as not only possible future employees but also, even more importantly, as potential employers and job and wealth creators”.

“In today’s increasing global and technology-based economy, it is vital that we welcome every opportunity to create and support a culture of achievement on parallel to none; a culture in which our future businessmen and women could improve innovation, competitiveness and productivity within this Federation’s workforce. I again applaud the ECCB for pioneering this initiative and laying such a solid foundation upon which the Chamber now builds.

“Undoubtedly, the JA programme has grown in unprecedented ways since its inception here and is now regarded as an irreplaceable catalyst for the early introduction for the business practices with its unique ingredient of hands-on experience.”